If you're completely new to the fastener industry, we should start with a basic definition of a washer. It’s generally a circular piece of steel, aluminum, nylon or rubber with a hole in the center that is used in conjunction with a nut and a bolt to help prevent the...
Vendor managed inventory (VMI) has become the accepted practice in many industries for managing the manufacture, distribution, and stocking of parts and components. What was once considered almost a novelty is now considered an effective and cost-efficient strategy...
Gloves and safety don’t always come to mind when you’re talking about various fasteners and the places they are used, but they should.
Self-locking fasteners, also known as self-clinching fasteners, are a class of fasteners that, once threaded into a softer, ductile metal, is held in place by means of a serrated clinching ring, knurl, ribs, or hex head which prevents the fastener from turning in the...
Hinges, latches, and locks are important features on many pieces of equipment and systems, critical for providing access, security, and flexibility. Hinges, latches, and locks come in a variety of styles, sizes, shapes, and materials to suit a wide range of...
Threaded fasteners such as screws and bolts have been around for millennia and used in the widest range of industries, applications, and products imaginable. In fact, over 300 billion fasteners are used in just the US alone every year. But, despite their efficiency...
It may be hard to believe, but screws are actually one of the world’s simplest machines, using its threads to move a cylinder forward and backward. Of course, screws are also one of the most effective fasteners as well, utilizing both internal and external threads to...
Rivets are one of the oldest fastener devices in the world. Essentially a rivet is a smooth, cylindrical shaft – usually made of metal – with a head on one end that becomes the foundation for creating another head on the opposite end, holding the two pieces of...
Bolts are made using different materials, thread types, coatings, various classes of fit, and multiple grades. Bolt grades indicate the strength of a bolt, which is important when selecting a fastener so you can be sure the bolt is strong enough for the job. The...
Nuts come in all shapes and sizes and a variety of styles to suit the type of fastening and material for the application. Their only use is to fasten two pieces together, such as two sheets of metal. Interestingly, nuts are the only fastener that must be used with...
